Measuring valve



Nov. 28, 1930 E. w. DAVIS 2,532,269

MEASURING VALVE Original Filed Aug. 26, 1942 J72 a8 72 fior Ervzexsfi W Dav/e15 75W v M nfi'ilyuj Patented Nov. 28, 1950 MEASURING VALVE Ernest W. Davis, River Forest, 111., assignor to Stewart-Warner Corporation, Chicago, III., a. corporation of Virginia Original application August 26, 194.2, Serial No. 456,281. Divided and this application October 4, 1945, Serial No. 620,339

1 Claim.

My invention relates to measuring valves and more particularly to measuring valves for centralized lubricating systems.

In centralized lubricating systems, lubricant from a central source such as a lubricant compressor is forced through a piping system having branches arranged in parallel and connected to the various bearings to be supplied with lubricant from the central source. The diiierent bearings may have the same or different lubrication requirements and it is common to provide the branches of the lubricating system with measuring valves or other metering means for insuring the supply of just the proper amount of lubricant to each bearing.

My invention relates to measuring valves intended to be used in such a lubricating system and an object of my invention is to provide a new and improved measuring valve which will accurately meter a predetermined quantity of lubricant under all operating conditions of the lubricating system.

Another object of my invention is to provide a measuring valve which is economical to manufacture and which will provide long service without attention or repair.

Another object of my invention is to provide a new and improved measuring valve which can be readily installed by a person without special training or instruction.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a longitudinal sectional view through a measuring valve embodying one form of my invention and illustrating this measuring valve as being connected to a bearing and to the piping of a centralized lubricating system; and

Fig. 2 is a View similar to Fig. l but showing the parts of the measuring valve in different positions.

This application is a division of my co-pending, now abandoned, application serial No. 456,281, filed August 26, 1942.

In the drawings I have illustrated an embodiment of my invention wherein the measuring valve has a body lfi closed at one end by a cap 82 having a threaded nipple 54 adapted to be attached to the bearing 85. The other end of the body (it is shown. as having a cross passage 38 which cooperates with pipes til and 92 to form a part of the pipe line of the centralized lubricating system.

A small bore lit forms an inlet leading to the cylindrical chamber 96 in the valve body 80. The

bore 96 is provided with a valve seat 98 normally closed by the conical end of a valve [00 which is floatingly mounted in the upper end of the piston I02.

A spring I913 urges the piston Hi2 toward the inlet end of cylinder 96 and holds valve H10 against its seat 98. The spring I84 also holds the flanged base IE6 of a valve IE8 against the under side of the piston head. The piston N12 is provided with a bypass passage H0 of such size and length as to offer high resistance to flow of lubricant therethrough.

The cylinder 96 is connected to the bearing surfaces by way of a passage H2 having a valve seat H4, A ball check valve I it is urged against the seat i It by a spring H8. In this embodiment of my invention, the spring 1 I8 is relatively light and only a low pressure is required to open the check valve 1 it. The spring Hit, however, is sufficiently strong so that a high lubricant pressure is required to open the valve 100.

When lubricant under high pressure, for example, 1000 pounds per square inch, is supplied to the line by the lubricant compressor, valve I00 is moved downwardly away from its seat 98 and thereupon the entire head of the piston "32 is exposed to the lubricant pressure in the line. The space below the piston 32 is filled with lubricant from the previous operation of the valve, but the check valve I it offers little resistance to passage of this lubricant to the bearing 8%. The high lubricant pressure acting over the entire upper end of the piston 32 moves the piston Hi2 downwardly with little differential pressure between the ends of this piston, and the lubricant therebelow is forced into the bearing 86.

Downward movement of the piston "32 is arrested when the tapered lower end of valve Hi6 engages the inlet end wt of passage H2 leading to the bearing 85. The valve act will be held in this position shown in Fig. 2 because the area acted upon by lubricant pressure tending to seat valve )8 is sufiiciently great to overbalance the spring pressure and the lubricant pressure acting upon the area which would tend to unseat the valve. The difference in these areas results from the size of the inlet end I28 of passage i l2. This positionof the parts is shown in Fig. 2 and the parts remain in this position until all of the measuring valves in the lubricating system have operated to supply lubricant to their bearings. Thereafter, the lubricant pressure in the line is released and the piston of each measuring valve is returned to the position shown in Fig. 1 under the force exerted by its sprin ill-i.

3 As each piston moves upwardly from the position of Fig. 2 tothat of Fig. 1, the grease or other lubricant flows through bypass I I0. When the piston reaches a position of Fig. 1, the space beneath the. piston is filled with lubricant and the measuring; valve is conditioned for a sub-' sequent operation.

Owing to the great difference in area between the exposed part of the valve I and the head of the piston H32, these measuring valves have a high differential action which permits them to operate one at a time when connected, multiple. This is made possible by the fact that the opening of valve iEQ of one measuring valve reduces the pressure in the pipeline iim j mediatel so that no other measuring valve will operate until the first valve has discharged its measured quantity of lubricant to its bearing.

It is to be understood that my invention is not lirnited to the particular detail shown and; disclosed, but may ass ume numerous o'ther forrns not specifically illustrated or described herein. The scope of my invention is defined by the following claim.

I claim: V w p A measuring valve of the class described, comprising a body having an inlet provided with a valve seat of small diameter and a cylinder communicating with said inlet, a. piston reciprocable in said cylinder; said piston comprising a head and a downwardly extending skirt adjacent the walls. of said cylinder throughout substantially one-half the length thereof, a valve fioatingly mounted in said head and having a tapered portion adapted to cooperate with said valve seat, said body having an outlet passage provided with a pair of valve seats, said pair of valve seats being of the same diameter and larger than said first named valve seat, a second valve movable with said piston and adapted to cooperate? with one of saifdilast named valve seats, saidlast named valve having an enlarged upper end engaging said piston and a tapered lower end for engaging its valve seat, a spring confind between said body and enlarged upper end of said last named valve for holding said valve in contact said piston, said spring also said-pistonftoward said first named valve seat and adapted to hold said first named valve in Contact with its seat, said piston skirt havinga lo'n gitu'fnal" recess providing a bypass passage for said piston, and a relatively light check valve for the other of said pair of valve seats.

ERNEST W. DAVIS.

REFERENGES 01mm The followingrefeffic areof record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Nu ber Name I Date- 7,

1,652,765 Cowles Dec. 13, 192'; 1,707,993 Piquere'z Apr. 9', 929 l,i 3()3,6() 1 Davis May 5', 2,308,865 Davis J'an; r9; 1-943 Font-3161? messes Number Country Date 679,358 France Jan. 9, 1 930" 

